PFAS contamination meeting at RAAF East Sale

Field & Game Australia representatives today attended a private briefing with the Department of Defence and the Environment Protection Authority at RAAF East Sale on the outcomes of the Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment relating to PFAS contamination at our Heart Morass wetland.

FGA Chairman Bill Paterson, Development Manager Daryl Snowdon and Heart Morass Committee of Management member Gary Howard were briefed ahead of the public release of the report tomorrow (December 7).

Defence is holding Community Walk-in Sessions to provide information on the detailed environmental investigation tomorrow that will include a presentation on the findings outlined in the Detailed Site Investigation and the Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment.

There will also be an opportunity for the community to ask questions one-on-one about the environmental investigation contracted experts and other key government department representatives in attendance. FGA members are welcome to attend.

Bill Paterson said today’s briefing was an opportunity for FGA to raise questions about the contamination, further sampling and assessment and the process for dealing with the contamination.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manufactured compounds and DoD has identified contamination at bases across Australia from the use of a fire fighting foam.

PFAS are stable chemical compounds that do not break down in the environment and while current science shows no consistent link to adverse health effects the cumulative nature of PFAS has led to a general health warning to minimise exposure.

On September 28, 2017 the EPA recommended that recreational fish and game hunters do not consume fish, eels or ducks caught at the Heart Morass wetlands until the release of the Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment.

FGA will be in a position to provide updated advice once the final health assessment has been publicly released.